


Collection of Works

by sleepymccoy



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Pining, Pre-Relationship, alien meta, sick!Bones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-30
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-18 16:50:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8169008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepymccoy/pseuds/sleepymccoy
Summary: So I post plenty of quick things on tumblr, I figured I'd try and collate them here too. So they're all over the place, but I'll update occasionally and add brief chapters. It'll all be on tumblr, tho. I'll do a few pieces per chapter.





	1. Chapter 1

“Doctor, I would like to comment on your proposal last night,” Spock said.

McCoy turned in surprise and started to stand. “Sure,” he mumbled, “‘scuse me, folks.” He nodded at Scotty and Uhura’s curious looks.

He turned to face Spock when Spock spoke. “I do not wish to have casual sex with you.”

McCoy closed his eyes and focused on not responding too quickly. He actively bit his tongue, gripping onto the table behind him as he felt his blush grow.

“Ah, somewhat more public than I generally like my rejections, Spock.” McCoy glanced at Scotty and Uhura. Scotty’s eyes were wide open, staring at them. Uhura’s open mouth had fallen into her hands as she slinked lower towards the table, watching them in amazement.

“You misunderstand, sir, I do not wish to have casual sex with you-”

“No, I did catch that,” McCoy said quickly. He could feel himself glaring at Spock but couldn’t do anything to stop himself. He desperately wanted to ne civil, but it wasn’t looking strong.

“Please,” Spock said softly. McCoy quietened and raised an eyebrow. “I would like to date you. Exclusively, if you find that amenable.”

McCoy felt all the blood in his body rush to his face as he struggled for words.

“Yeah, that’d be good,” he croaked out.

Spock nodded at him. “I will see you tonight, then,” he said and walked away.

McCoy stared wild-eyed after Spock. Once he’d left he turned and found himself facing a shell shocked Scotty and a grinning Uhura.

“Did he ask me out?” McCoy asked weakly while he sat back down.

“Looks like you said yes, too,” Uhura said happily while Scotty nodded.

“Fuck.”

 

\----------

 

Bones hadn't slept properly in two days and the exhaustion had left him unable to turn his mind off and sleep.

“Spock, this is awful,” Bones’ voice carried into the room.

Spock sighed and put his Padd down. “I expect so, Doctor.”

“What’re you  _ Doctoring  _ me for? God damned… Also what was- what was that shit earlier with the string of numbers and letters?”

“Are you referring to when I described the genome of the penicillin resistant virus?”

“ _ Described? _ You listed about two hundred fucking letters over the comm system! Are you mad?”

“The comm system was the only thing working at the time.”

“That is not an appropriate use of…” *sound of Bones snoring*

Spock sighed again and stood up to tug Bones’ shoes off for him and put a blanket over him. He has a foolish boyfriend, but that’s ok.

 

\----------

 

There’s a delegation of Vulcans on board for the first time and Bones is… confused.

“Confused?” Jim repeated back to him.

“Yeah. I mean, I like Spock, but I figured that was just the Vulcan thing, you know?”

“No, I don’t know.”

Bones sighed. “I’m into Spock, because, you know, he’s Spock. You quit your gaping, Kirk, I’m not hot for Spock or anything, it’s just because he’s Vulcan and I like the whole…” He waved a hand around blindly. “The whole _ fuck off, I’m right _ attitude.”

Jim stared at him silently.

“But,” Bones continued, “I thought that was a Vulcan thing, and the rest of the shit Spock pulls pisses me off. But it turns out Vulcans don’t all go in for debate. That’s Spock specific.”

Bones glanced at Jim briefly and rolled his eyes. “Dammit, say something.”

Jim took a deep breath. “A lot is happening right now.”

“Why do I fucking bother?” Bones grumbled as he stood to leave.

“You’re into Spock!” Jim yelled after his hastily retreating figure.

 

\----------

 

So I’m loving this thing the fandom’s rolling w where Spock gave Bones his necklace at the end of Beyond and I’m just thinking about that. I reckon Bones keeps it on under his uniform all the time and develops a subconscious habit of resting his finger on the pendant whenever he’s thinking about Spock.

Spock figures it out because Bones keeps feeling the necklace whenever they talk or after a fight or before he asks Spock a question. Spock kinda keeps track of how often Bones seems to be thinking of him. He enjoys watching Bones messing w the pendant after a fight for a while, cos it’s clear his thoughts are still on the disagreement. When Bones is on the Bridge his hand tends to rest on his chest, softly stroking the outline of the pendant through his shirt, even when he and Spock haven’t spoken yet.

Spock is thrown one day when he sees Bones and knows with complete certainty that Bones hasn’t noticed his presence yet, but Bones is resting his hand over where his necklace lies, clearly deep in thought. He hears Bones give a soft sigh and Spock suddenly feels like he’s intruding and sneaks out, not wanting to interrupt him.

Spock notices just how bizarrely often Bones touches his necklace after that. Is it possible he’s thinking about Spock each time? Or has it just become a habit?

If he is thinking about Spock this much, well, that would just about match how often Spock thinks about Bones. And that would be nice.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I focused on Rihanna and Jaylah for a bit, along with an OC seamstress/tailor

Rihanna's alien character concepts:

She has two sets of eyelids, one is human-like and she uses when she sleeps or makes a point through closing her eyes. Her other set are transparent so she can see through them and never seems to blink

Most of her skin has evolved to be smooth, but the rough areas of her skin (elbows, knees, feet, palms) are covered in small, tough scales

Her joints are all dislocate-able  

She only has the one lung, which makes her struggle occasionally in endurance exercise

She has very strong fingers

Her blood is venomous and when she bleeds it is something of a problem for anyone in her vicinity. She can, and has, used it to poison enemies. Generally in non lethal quantities

Her name is Næddre

She has very light bones and while her muscles make up for any strength lost she is fairly delicate in certain situations. Hit front on or by surprise her bones do break more easily than humans

She has a rib cage extending up her neck, the bones are very thin and flexible, and down around her lower torso, also highly flexible.

She can see into the infrared spectrum

 

\----------

 

Jaylah was stressing out. She had to find a dress that was appropriate for a highly formal event with a truly exotic collection of guests. She had met the impressive bunch the day before as part of her sensitivity training  _ How to be dead silent in the presence of superiors _ , or something. She had expected the event to be as tiresome as every other event she had to dress up for, but then the most enchantingly beautiful woman had walked off the arriving ship and barely glanced at her as she walked away. Jaylah had stood there uselessly as her heart followed.

She had then gone straight back to her quarters and torn into an old radio system before realising she had nothing to wear. And so, she found herself walking into a tailor’s shop and begging the lovely (and hectically busy) woman for a rush job. 

Galih had made a habit of following starfleet wherever they went. She found herself, now, in a partially built station, making perhaps seventeen last minute outfits for the fools at the academy (and a few highly important delegates) over night. Luckily, this was what she enjoyed about her job. Galih flourished under pressure. 

Seventeen, however, was enough. Then in walked this pissed off, blushing, pale white girl with some of the most stunning facial marks she’d ever seen. As soon as Galih looked at her she saw a dress that would look amazing on her. It took some convincing, some haggling, but Galih had always intended to agree. The girl, Jaylah, was clearly keen to impress someone. The gorgeous creature kept stumbling over her words and flushing when she got close to admitting a crush. Galih was happy to help.

Naeddre was so entirely unprepared for this. She was a nobody on her planet except for her natural rock shifting ability. This, apparently, while normal for her people was not common in the rest of the universe. And starfleet was curious about the ability, and, therefore, about her. So here she was, having had a crash course in diplomatic behaviour and instructions to pick up a dress when she got there, to be sure it would be appropriate for the federation.

Unfortunately for Naeddre, as soon as she stepped off the ship she came face to face with possibly the most stunning girl in history. She quickly looked away, every piece of instruction and advice her mentor had given her, and maintained a professional demeanor and fell into bed the second she had the chance, groaning heavily.

  
Galih was extremely excited when, two days later, Jaylah swung by her shop and showed her a photo of her and Naeddre getting their romance on at the event. Galih had made Naeddre’s dress too!

 

\----------

 

Most of the main crew have a daily segment, Jim reads out birthday well wishes and general news from the home planets of his crew. He sings the entirity of the Happy Birthday song for every person having a birthday. If there are multiples in one day he will sing the song once for each crewmember. 

Uhura holds a conversation piece for ten minutes multiple times through every day where she interviews one member of the crew or any guests on board. She is a common guest in other peoples segments and tends to interrupt anyone who is being inaccurate and tells them off. .

Bones has a segment where he basically just rants for forty minutes about whatever’s on his mind. It varies from a botched surgery he heard about happening on Earth, an ensign who dropped a hammer on his toe that day, Spock, ancient medicine, soldiers, technology, seriously whatever he feels like. Jim loves it. 

Spock’s segment tends to start with a rebuttal of what Bones said in his, followed by a general report on the ship and any extra information that may be useful for the area of space they’re entering. 

Scotty just plays music, most of it the same songs as Jaylah played in her segment earlier cos he wants to hear them again. 

Sulu has a four hour long segment every week in which he gives an enormous lecture on something entirely random. 

Chekov has his four hour segment on another day and he usually takes calls and goes on tangential Russain history rants. 

The rest of the space is filled with either music or news broadcasts from Earth or other crewmen with something to say for a while. 


	3. Chapter 3

Bones had been lucky enough to be on the Bridge when Starfleet had gotten in contact with their next mission. Doctor Hiri needed transport to a space station a few parsecs away for trial and it would barely inconvenience the Enterprise, so they’d picked her up and spent a few days with her. Jim was only mildly familiar with the chrages against Doctor Hiri (her MD has been revoked, but Bones didn’t recognise that decision) and Bones had had to explain it to the Bridge.

Five years ago Hiri had been on a border planet assisting a medical battle against a parasite that was making the populations blood thicker. While she was there a Klingon attack occured and a Klingon was sorely wounded in the battle. Hiri had ignored Starfleet protocol by entering the active battleground to heal this Klingon - whom she recognised as a youth. The council of the planet had been furious with her but had agreed to not press charges. Until, that is, the Klingon himself had returned, laughed at Hiri’s foolish decision, and killed half the council before finally being killed himself.

Hiri was being tried for being a Klingon sympathiser, and for partial responsibility for the deaths in the council room that day. The trial had been going for the five years since. An early ruling had stripped her of her doctorate and rendered her unemployable. And Bones was pissed.

He and Spock, to Jim’s public disdain (but secret support) had spent the three days researching defense mechanisms for Hiri. Bones had spent a good deal of time with her, discussing situations where he had saved someone or something he perhaps shouldn’t have. The Horta, Khan, even Spock. Hiri had laughed and said that Spock was, perhaps, not an appropriate parallel to draw.

Spock had picked apart the Hippocratic Oath and reworded it to be as blunt as possible, to explain that Hiri’s need to heal came before her need to obey orders. Jim wandered by and quietly whispered that she had been defending a Klingon’s right to a trial by keeping him alive, and that the fault lay with those that let him escape. Hiri had more or less given up on legal defense, five years of court and a new punishment with each appeal can wear on a person. But maybe now that the wounds weren’t so fresh a logical defense would work.

When she left she took the time to thank Jim, subtly so that he could maintain his professional distace. As Captain he had to agree with Starfleet. She promised Spock copies of the trials proceedings. She turned to Bones and sighed and Bones had no idea what to expect.

“Doctor, you exemplify every part of what I want the medical field to be. You are caring and do not lay blame easily. You have a sharp, almost cutting intelligence and the biggest heart I’ve ever encountered. I will win this case, but not for me. I will win because you need to live in a universe where you can heal everyone and everything who needs it. So, thank you, Doctor McCoy.“

Bones was blushing. Full scale blushing. “Thank you, Doctor Hiri.”

Hiri smiled at him. “You know, one day that title might fit me again.”

“It already does, Ma'am.”

 

\----------

 

“Doctor.”

McCoy turned sharply and sighed, Spock’s face reminding him of just how exhausted he was. Four days of quarantine with the sick and dying, Spock as the only person not at risk of carrying the diesease between areas. McCoy was tired of Spock coming by and reminding him that time was continuing outside his sickbay.

“Any chance you could come back in half an hour? Or, y'know, three days?” He asked, already placing his slides on pause, accepting that he would have to talk to Spock.

Spock elected to ignore his request and led him into his office. “You look tired, Doctor-”

“Thanks.”

“- have you been taking your required breaks?”

McCoy ignored him. “There’s been a development, Spock.“

Spock nodded at him to continue while he started preparing some tea. McCoy sighed again, the tea was unlikely to have caffeine in it.

“You know how O+ blood types are immune? Turns out we’re wrong. O+ just has a longer incubation period.”

Spock froze, a thin line of sugar continuing to pour into McCoy’s cup.

“On the plus side,” McCoy continued, “It’s added knowledge. We’ll stop throwing O+ tricks at it and focus on that mould thing your team stumbled across.”

Spock turned and faced him. “I advised against you remaining here,” he said stiffly.

McCoy sighed. “I caught it as soon as it turned up, Spock, my staying to do my job put me at no more risk. We just didn’t noticed until about thirty minutes ago. It’s a sneaky contagion.”

Spock gritted his teeth, swallowed, and finally nodded.

McCoy stood up and walked over to join him. He looked into the cup and forced back a smirk. “I have some new vials for you. I’ll email you a full report on my symptoms as soon as we’ve finished studying me. Thank you for the cup of sugar,” he added as Spock didn’t respond.

Spock blinked. His hand shot out and held McCoy’s wrist. “Leonard, people have died already,” he said.

McCoy felt his heart shrivel in on itself, the guilt and panic striving to take over. He pulled his wrist free. “I’m well aware of that, Mr. Spock,” he said softly. “With any luck I won’t be joining them. We’ll figure this thing out soon, darling.”

 

\----------

Situations where Spock and Bones hug:

Spock has been physically missing and injured, but in contact on an alien planet. Leo has had to nurse him back to health by explaining procedures to him over the communicators. When they reunite it involves Spock holding onto a rope as he’s pulled onto a shuttle craft as they fly past. Leo catches him and holds him close as they fall, surreptitiously checking his pulse and temperature as he does so. Spock is just desperately holding onto Leo’s shirt, so entirely relieved to hand his well being over to someone else. Leo doesn’t let go until they get back to the Enterprise.

Spock and Leo have been married for years and while Spock was away on a diplomatic mission their pet tribble/poodle cross breed (technically illegal) dies and Spock comes back just in time for the funeral where Leo greets him with a desperate hold, burying his face in Spock’s shoulder. 

Leo has had an awful week on board the Enterprise and when he gets to his quarters Spock has arranged dinner and a glass of bourbon and Leo nearly cries at the sight of it. Instead of sitting down to eat, he and Spock hold each other for five minutes straight, the embrace full of whispered thanks yous and mentions of bad moments during the week, followed by amusing moments. By the time they sit down Leo is already feeling more like himself.

Some dignitaries are tearing into some of Leo’s more steadfast beliefs and he simply can’t respond how he wants to, but Spock rolls in and in three quick sentences politely and subtly tells them how they’re wrong, but in such a way that they think they’re right. When they leave Leo turns to hims and gives him the most joyous, extreme hug ever, lifting his feet off the ground in his exuberance. Spock claims to regret getting involved, but he continues to defend Leo as the dignitaries visit rolls on.

A shuttle craft is returning with three of the six that left on it, no one knows which three are returning, Leo was one of the six. Spock is professional but not ok. When the doors to the shuttle open and two red shirts walk out he feels himself wither inside. Then an exhausted and crying Leo climbs out. Spock walks forward slowly, barely letting himself believe it. He quietly assists Leo’s dismount of the shuttle before smoothly drawing him into the tightest embrace Leo’s human body can stand. They grip each other like letting go will mean the other’s loss.


	4. Chapter 4

Au where McCoy is working in a hospital on a colony planet after his divorce. An escape pod crash lands and as he has the most xenomedical training he’s in charge of helping the half Vulcan inside.

It takes a day before Spock wakes up and introduces himself. By then McCoy had fixed up his insides well enough. Spock’s head had been fairly badly burned and he was wrapped up tight in healing fabric, rendering his temporarily blind.

\--

“I would like to know exactly what you look like, Doctor, and the hospital, if you would.”

“Well, the room your in is white as all hell, you’re honestly not missing out on much there. However, I am a vision of beauty, true rugged handsomeness, and you’ve got that to look forward to.”

“In that case it will be quite an entertainment to see a face so different to the voice I endure.”

\--

McCoy does as Spock instructs and informs Star Fleet of his whereabouts. He’s put through to Captain Kirk, who is immensely relieved and showers McCoy with gratitude.

McCoy spends his evening sitting with Spock, asking him about life in space. Spock asks him about his work on the planet. It takes twenty minutes and they’ve found something to disagree on.

\--

“What are you doing, Doctor?”

“Finishing up a patient’s discharge papers.”

“Why are you here for that?”

McCoy paused for a beat. “They gave you the best visitor’s chair,” he finally muttered. Spock elected to not further the question.

\--

By the time the Enterprise makes it to the planet McCoy and Spock have decided they can’t stand each other, but McCoy is still in charge of his recovery. And finds himself returning to see Spock during his free hours regardless.

McCoy is witness to Kirk seeing Spock, still wrapped up like a mummy. McCoy has taken to calling him Pharaoh to have a go at him. McCoy doesn’t understand at all how Kirk can rely on Spock to this degree, especially when Spock is like he is. Unbearable. Yet Kirk clearly cares for him.

Kirk agrees to wait the one more day for Spock to recover. McCoy takes the bandages off his face that night and he’s healed well. McCoy spends some time removing the last of the cream and damaged skin and washes his face a few times, all the while griping and having a go at Spock because Spock can’t talk back right now.

Then when Spock is finally clean and able to see again, he looks up and has nothing to say, because he hadn’t expected beautiful blue eyes. McCoy finds himself speechless too, amazed at just how gorgeous Spock is. He manages to mutter something about Spock having healed up well and walks off quickly to get his head together. 

Kirk recommends that McCoy join Star Fleet. McCoy says that he wouldn’t want to chance running into Spock again, certain that Spock would hate that too. Spock then finds McCoy and offers to write a character reference that would ensure his acceptance in Star Fleet. McCoy agrees and a few string pulls later he finds himself on the Enterprise as Chief Medical Officer.

 

  
  
  
\----------  
  
  


 

 

Spock was embarrassed. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but he was. He had been reckless and foolish and it had come back to bite him. 

The sick bay had finally beaten a nasty virus that had hit an away team. It had taken the better part of two days for Doctor McCoy and his team to stabalise the patients, find the cure, and help the sick back to health. Leonard had glanced over at Spock with a relieved smile as he saw the last person from sick bay.

Then, foolishly, recklessly, Spock had investigated the container. He was tired from the two days of research and had been somewhat distracted from the sparkle in Leonard’s eye. He had forgotten to replace his face mask and hadn’t thought about it in the slightest. 

Three hours later he found himself in his quarters, racked with coughing and unpleasantly itchy. Fortunately, the illness was only transferable through saliva and as he was almost too careful about what and who he even touched he was certain he would not have passed it onto anyone on the ship. Regardless, he was sick and needed to tell someone. Who, he could not decide. M’Benga would be subtle, but he would be confused and Spock could not handle the shame of it now. He also would almost certainly tell Leonard. Chapel would not tell Leonard, however she would dote. Leonard would take care of him and tell no one, however… Leonard would then know just how smitten Spock was. 

There was a knock at his door. Spock quickly pushed the box of tissues aside and straightened his shirt, ruffled from his scratching. “Enter,” he called.

The door opened and McCoy stood there, looking unimpressed into the low lit room. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “Like I thought, you  _ idiot _ .” He walked across the room, his eyes roaming intelligently across Spock’s body. “Dumber than a box of rocks rolling up hill, what were you thinking?” He said loudly. 

Spock didn’t respond, instead he was focusing on not letting himself cough, despite desperately wanting to. 

McCoy sat down, sighing loudly, across from him. He leant forwards and glared at Spock, resting his elbows on his knees. “What were you thinking, darlin’?”

Spock coughed, he couldn’t help it anymore. The moment he curled forwards, spluttering painfully, Leonard’s eyes flashed with worry and Spock felt himself being sat back, the glass of water he’d collected earlier instantly being pressed into his hands.

Spock drank, avoiding eye contact. Leonard patted Spock’s knee softly. “You’re alright, dear,” he muttered. 

Once Spock had regained control of himself he sat up properly and sighed. Leonard still looked worried, although he was clearly trying to steel himself back to a disapproving professional manner.

“I apologise, I have no reason to give for my behaviour,” Spock said uncomfortably. 

“Alright, love, I brought the fix for you. I haven’t made it Vulcan-friendly, but I daresay you deserve a bit of punishment,” Leonard said softly, still stroking Spock’s knee. 

Spock breathed out a brief huff of amusement and nodded. Leonard pulled his sleeve up and injected him quickly. Spock felt the drug go to his head, making him quite whoozy. He had witnessed this reaction in the patients earlier, but was still surprised by the strength of the dizziness. When his sight and hearing returned shortly later, Leonard was holding him up, muttering kind, forgiving words. 

“Feelin’ better?” Leonard asked. 

“I am certainly feeling more nauseous,” Spock muttered. “Thank you, Leonard,” he added quietly.

“Well,” Leonard said smugly, “I can’t imagine what that gratitude cost you. But you’re very welcome. Now, let’s get you in the shower and then to bed. You’re an utter fool.”

Spock let himself be ferried through the shower process and quickly to bed. He let Leonard undress him, putting up only a token resistance and instead enjoyed the moment. Leonard only took a brief encouragement before he agreed to sleep with Spock. Spock found it inexplicably comforting.

 

 

 

\----------

 

 

They stood waiting for the green light to beam down. The welcoming committee apparently found it more important to have everyone they required present rather than beam down the Enterprise party on time. Jim wasn't worried, so Spock and McCoy stood quietly waiting on the transporter pad.

“By the way, Spock,” McCoy said, “Some ensign dropped off some file for you, I left them in your lab on my way here.”

Jim and Spock both turned to him, mostly because the silence had been growing dull and at least McCoy had managed to say something.

“Thank you, Leonard,” Spock said politely and turned back to face the front. Jim grinned at McCoy, mouthing the word  _ Leonard _ at him.

McCoy willed himself not to blush, but he felt his face heat up regardless. He looked at his feet while he tried to get a hold of himself. He and Spock had discussed the use of his christain name only a fortnight earlier and McCoy had not been quite prepared for the flattery he felt when Spock alluded to their relationship in public.

“Mr. Spock,” Jim said, “I would appreciate it if you didn't turn my CMO into a blushing fool moments before we beam down to meet a delegation.”

McCoy looked slowly up at Jim to glare at him. He could wish and pray to is hearts delight, but he knew his face was bright red and there was no purpose in trying to hide it from Spock.

Spock turned and raised an eyebrow a him, but mercifully did not comment.

“You're a prize idiot, Captain Kirk,” McCoy grumbled. Jim just chuckled and looked away.

There was a beat of silence then Spock asked quietly, “Because I called you Leonard?”

McCoy could see Jim's shoulders shake in contained laughter. “Ah, shut your pretty mouth, Spock,” McCoy said, amusement seeping into his tone.

Spock turned to face him fully and rose both eyebrows. As he did, the alert that the transporter was ready came through and a moment after McCoy winked at Spock they disappeared.

\--

McCoy was studying the painting on the wall. It was enormous and abstract and he had to say he hated the colours. All oranges and greens. Spock sidled up next to him and nodded his greeting.

“Spock,” McCoy said vaguely, still watching the painting. He didn't like it.

“Doctor, I apologise if my use of your christian name earlier was inappropriate.” Spock said.

McCoy smiled to himself, ducking his head to hide it. He turned to Spock, schooling his expression. “It was something of a surprise, I must say. And not very professional,” he said, exaggerating his disapproval to a mocking degree.

Spock purse his lips in thought. “In that case I will ensure I do not utilise your first name in a professional setting again.”

McCoy sighed, having expected this response. He turned and picked up his drink from the table beside them and stepped towards Spock, forcing him to move out of his way to let him pass. As he passed he paused and slowly leaned in, not inappropriately close for a human, but Vulcan’s were far more aware of their personal space and when it was invaded.

“Wrong answer, Mr. Spock,” McCoy said quietly, his eyes flitting around Spock's face. “But I warn you, two can play at that game.”

Spock swallowed. “I see,” he said evenly. McCoy smiled warmly and walked away.

\--

McCoy was watching Spock standing at the drinks table and trying to surreptitiously smell the jugs. He chuckled to himself and walked over to offer some help.

“You don't know which ones you can drink?” he asked as he stopped at Spock's side.

“Yes,” Spock said, “Do you know wh-”

“Yeah,” McCoy interrupted, “One of the cooks took me through it, at my request. Made me promise not to spread their recipe, mind. You're fine to drink from the two green jugs, that purple one, but not the lilac one with the orange flower carved on it. The red, orange and yellow jugs have cocoa, but otherwise they're fine. So that's up to you. And just don't touch the blue jugs, you'll break out in hives.”

Spock raised his eyebrow. “That was most comprehensive, thank you.” He looked at McCoy kindly. “You did not have to go to the trouble on my behalf, Leonard,” he said softly.

McCoy felt himself blushing again, and cursed his cheeks. He turned around and leaned against the table, glancing easily at Spock. “You're worth the effort, darlin’,” he murmured.

Spock looked at him closely, his eyes watching, enrapt, as McCoy slowly smiled at him. McCoy pressed the tips of his fingers against Spock's hips, still smiling his crooked half smile. He leaned forward, close enough that his breath shifted a few strands of Spock's hair. McCoy was pleased to note that the tip of Spock's ear had gone slightly greener.

“Have a good evening, my dear,” McCoy whispered. He walked off, his fingers trailing harshly against Spock's hip as he left.

  
  



End file.
